The Philippines declares a state of emergency as the death toll from Typhoon Kalmaiji exceeds 241 dead and missing

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of emergency today, after Typhoon Kalmaiji left at least 241 people dead and missing in the central provinces, the worst natural disaster to hit the country this year.

The authorities said that the hurricane killed at least 114 people, most of whom drowned in flash floods, while 127 others are still missing, many of them in Cebu Province, the most affected area, before the hurricane left the Philippine archipelago on Wednesday, heading to the South China Sea.

The government explained that the hurricane affected about two million people, and caused the displacement of more than 560,000 villagers, including about 450,000 who were evacuated to emergency shelters.

The declaration of the state of emergency came during a meeting between President Marcos and disaster management officials to assess the effects of the hurricane, noting that the decision would allow the government to disburse emergency funds more quickly, in addition to preventing food monopolies and high prices.